European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page l a a the stars and stripes wednesday March 14, 1990 czechs plan belated Toast to go liberators by Randy Pruitt staff writer the citizens of Pilsen a czech City world famous for its Beer plan to raise a collective Glass May 5 to the american soldiers who fought on their soil 45 years ago. They be been barred from making that Toast since 1948 a except for one year. It was May 5, 1968, when they hoisted the . Flag in the Center of Pilsen and played the american National Anthem. An estimated 100,000 czechs lined the streets to publicly say thank you to the americans for liberating them from the nazis in world War ii. That also was the year the soviets came. And stayed. Warsaw pact troops invaded the capital City of Prague on aug. 21, 1968, to crush student demonstrations and nip the buds of democracy sprouted by the a Prague  since that Brief flirtation with Independence any festivities connected to the United states have been unthinkable said Milso Konecny an electrical Engineer and one of the organizers of the highly successful 1968 Celebration. #. But things Are different now he said in an interview in Frankfurt West Germany. Konecny and his countrymen under the sponsorship of civic forum a human and civil rights organization Are planning another Celebration this May 5. Americans everywhere Are invited especially those who served with Patton a 3rd army v corps and the 11th army div. With the pullout of soviet troops from Czechoslovakia the timing  be better he said. A before it was forbidden to celebrate the american liberation of Pilsen because it was said that the whole of Czechoslovakia had been liberated by the russians a said Konecny who was a 22-year-old student in 1968. Americans have been shortchanged on their historic role in Bohemia during world War ii he said. A at school we were taught something at Home we were taught the opposite a he said. Quot sometimes your teacher taught you history but after class he would a amps Susan Harris say a of there is something else i would like to add but done to listen to me  a Konecny is too Young to remember the american military presence in his country. However he fondly recalls stories recited by his father a member of an underground movement connected to the czech government in exile in London. Konecny a father lived in Pilsen near one of the largest armament factories for Germany in occupied territory. A everyone was looking Forward to being liberated a he said. Spirits soared after the americans arrived. A Boogie Boogie was big then a Konecny said referring to the blues based dance music. A one night some americans were dancing on top of a sewage tank. It broke and one of the Fellows fell into the Nasty thing. All the americans had tents behind our Fence and they had big fun from this  before the americans left a everyone was Happy a Konecny said. In 1948, Moscow orchestrated a coup to overthrow the democratic government forcing out president Eduard Benes. The soviet Union quickly established total political and ideological control Over Czechoslovakia. After the coup 5 million czech Koruna that had been collected to erect a Monument to american soldiers mysteriously disappeared he said. Concrete now smothers the tiny plot of grass that symbolically marked the end of fighting in Pilsen. Gone too is a familiar Stone that sat on the spot both victims to Progress in this heavily Industrial City almost half of which was destroyed by american bombing raids. Heated discussions Are being held Konecny said on where to build a War memorial a place where grateful czechs can Lay fresh Flowers. He sees a Bright future for his country a total transformation of society. A in Prague you  recognize the place. Its like it used to be on the outside but inside everything is changing a he said. Last december Konecny said a Ssiss tsp group of students asked if they could m,ls0 Konra it remove the huge red Star inside his factory. Such ornaments which decorated All factories were turned on when each Plant met the quota set by an official plan he said. A it was there for 10 years. You know none of us paid attention to it anymore a he said. A we were laughing because it weighed about 100 kilograms and had been welded on Metal beams. It took us two Days to get it Down. A now the Only red stars you see Are on army posts. Everywhere else they took them  Washington a voting officials have announced primary election dates for Pennsylvania Arkansas and California. State primaries will be held in Pennsylvania on May 15, in Arkansas on May 29 and California on june 5. The candidates chosen in these elections will compete in the general election on nov. 6. Service members government employees and their family members who arc residents of these states should Contact their unit voting officers for details on How to Register and Absentee ballots. A completed Federal postcard application should be mailed Early to ensure timely receipt of a ballot officials  associate Partin Dies in Louisiana at 66 Baton Rouge la. Apr Edward Grady Partin the labor Leader whose testimony sent teamsters Boss Jimmy Hoffa to prison in 1967, has died at age 66. He had suffered from heart disease and diabetes. Partin was business manager of teamsters local 5 in Baton Rouge for 30 years and was a close associate of Hoffa a. He testified that Hoffa offered him $20,000 to fix the jury at Hoffa a 1962 trial on charges of taking kickbacks from a trucking company. That trial ended in a Hung jury but Hoffa subsequently was imprisoned. Frankfurt spa proposes converting military shopping area to housing by Mary Neth staff writer Frankfurt West Germany a the social democratic party in Frankfurt wants to turn property used by the . Military shopping Center into a much needed housing development. The party will propose the plan to mayor Volker Hauff an spa member at its party meeting on the weekend of March 24-25. A it will be up to the mayor to reject or accept the proposal a a Frankfurt spa spokesman said tuesday. The mayors office was unable to comment because it has not been officially informed of the proposal. A if the mayor should accept the spa proposal there would have to be talks Between the City and american military a said Michael Kummer of the City planning office. A representative of the . Army Europe real estate division in Heidelberg said 99 percent of property held by americans amps Susan Harris forces in West Germany is leased from the West German Federal government. A there is no time limit on these leases and it is up to the americans to evaluate and then accept or reject such a request of property return a he said. He could not say what Type of lease applied to the area sought by the spa. The area lies Between Escher Heimer Landstrass Adick Sallee and Bertram Strasse in the City a Northern Section. The spa said the americans loss of the High priced property would not affect the . Military position. The property is used for a shopping Auto repair and entertainment it said. Included in the shopping area Are the i Post Exchange the commissary a Burge King restaurant the stars and Stripe Bookstore an audio video store a travel Agency an optical shop an Pajl station an no club and numerous concessions and other Small businesses. Such property should be used for housing the party said. About 25, people Are looking ,ap5rt51fj i to rank City said Remund Schub of the fran Furt renters Protection organization. Shipping delays May hit commissaries pm surplus sales Forth West Germany a the defense re utilization and marketing office will hold a property Sale from 9 . To noon Friday in building 946 on Johnson Barracks. Items for Sale include books wooden furniture tools general merchandise and household goods. All transactions will be in dollars. Only . Identification card holders May participate. Property will be sold a was is and All sales Are final. Customers must remove purchases the Day of the Sale. Further information is available at ets 4606634 or civilian 0911 -713935. We Brocken West Germany a amps a a shortage of shipping containers at East coast ports in the United states could translate into a few Bare shelves at commissaries and Exchange outlets in the next few weeks officials in Europe say. A right now our shipments Are rolling but we Are concerned about future shipments a said Adam Cohen spokesman for the defense subsistence Region Europe which delivers goods to military commissaries overseas. Capt. Wes Davis an cafes spokesman in Munich said his Agency is even More concerned. A we May see empty shelves on some items in the next couple of weeks a he said. American Beer and soft drinks Are two categories on which cafes expects shortages to show up first. Cafes is in charge of beverage shipments for its own stores As Well As for commissaries. Other areas where the risk of temporary shortages exists include household goods Luggage clothing linens health and Beauty aids and shoes. Cohen said his Agency a does no to want to make a Mountain out of a Molehill a but he acknowledged that some delays in food deliveries might occur. Davis said cafes officials in Europe have been aware of East coast shipping delays for the past week. A a we re not certain when the problem will be resolved a he said. A but once a Bubble shows up in the pipeline it can take several months before everything is Back to  Ian d. Hill assistant distribution Center manager for cafes in Newport news va., said a shortage of shipping containers has plagued overseas deliveries since late february. Lykes Bros. Steamship co., the firm that currently has the government contract to bring goods across the Atlan Ocean has been unable to pro enough containers. Hill said cafes gone to other providers and even shipped some merchandise by air to k p Exchange outlets fully stocked. One theory behind the containers is that the weak Dollar it ing . Exports to Europe and that i tying up containers on this Side o Atlantic Ocean. Shipping companies do liver containerized goods to Europe. Re then keep the empty Al Hing until they can be filled with som headed Back for the United states. Hill said tuesday that cafes is St fighting a shortage of Container believes the worst is Over. There continue to be shortfalls for Aneth Days or so a he said